Process of preserving prunes.



' are unacceptable to the JOHN LUTHER BOWERS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF MONTICELLO, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF PRESE RVING PRUNES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed June 18, 1905. Serial No. 266,071-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN LUTHER BOWERS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Monticello, in the county of N apa and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of Preserving Fruit, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of preserving, being especially directed to an improved process of preserving prunes, and has for its objects to provide a method whereby the fruit may be preserved dry and in its natural state without boiling or otherwise subjecting the lfruit at any stage to the direct action of i uid.

Heretofore it has been the practice, articularly in preparing prunes for the mar et, to first treat the fruit in vats of boiling water containing a percentage of-lye, the fruit being thereafter dried, then again subjected for a suitable period to the action of boiling water containing glycerin, glucose, and other ingredients, and finally packed, while in a wet, heated state, in boxes or other receptacles for the market. Under this meth- 0d the-prunes, after acking, are subject to mold and fermentation, while during their treatment, prior to being packed, there is grave liability of the formation of gas between the inner skin and it, thus spoiling the fruit and producing wl fat are known to the trade as bloaters or frogs, which packers, and consequently a source of considerable loss to the producers.

The improved process constituting the subject-matter of the present invention consists 1n partially dryin the prunes, dry-packing the fruit in partia ly-dried condition in cans,

ars, or other receptacles, hermeticall sealmg the receptacles, and finally subjecting the receptacles containing the fruit to the action of heat to sterilize the fruit.

In carrying my process into effect I preferably take the fruit in its natural state and place the same in pans or trays and subject it to the action of solar or other dry heat until partially dried, then dry-pack the fruit in suitable receptacles, which are next hermetically sealed and finally boiled or otherwise treated with heat for sterilizing the fruit.

By my process there is a material saving in the matter of preserving the fruit as com pared with the old method, while at the same time liability of the prunes becoming mold Wormy, or undergoing fermentation is wholfy obviated, and the fruit is received by the co sumer in a perfectly natural and highly desirable state.

Having thus described my invention, what claim 1s- I 1. The process of preserving prunes consist-ing in partially drying the same, dry-packing the prunes without further processing in receptacles, hermetically closing the latter, and finally sub'ecting the receptacles to heat for sterilizing t e prunes.

he process of preserving prunes consisting in partially drying the latter, dryacking the partial] -dried prunes without rther processing in receptacles, hermetically closing the receptacles and finally boiling the latter to sterilize the contained prunes. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN LUTHER BOWERS. Witnesses:

WM. D. MCKENZIE, H. S. GEER. 

